Have No Fear
March 31st 2024 (Week 63)
Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20
It’s Easter Saturday as I begin to write this. Yesterday, Christians around the world gathered to remember the awful pain, suffering, and humiliation Jesus suffered on the cross more than 2000 years ago. He accepted it all for the benefit of all mankind, should they wish to accept His offer of salvation. And yet as we gathered together on the grimmest of days, worshipped Him, and gave thanks for what He has done we were able to do so with hope because we know we can look forward to tomorrow when we’ll say “He has risen”.
However, Imagine how His disciples must have felt. Along with Judas, these remaining eleven men had spent years with Jesus, listening to His teaching and watching in awe as he healed the sick, cast out demons and even walked on water. They eventually recognised Him for who He was; King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God. Now, in the wake of His death yesterday, they are alone and without hope. How could He let himself be treated in this way and crucified?
But worse still, the disciples were now terrified at the thought of the authorities doing to them what they had done to Jesus. Just twenty-four hours after He had hung on that cross and cried His final breath, they were probably more in fear for their own lives than in love with Jesus. How could He do this to them? How could He leave them like this? They must surely have been in a valley of despair.
We have all been there. We have all probably had those times in our lives when things don`t quite seem to be going as we would have liked or planned. I certainly have. I remember vividly those occasions when I was separated from my family and the feelings of isolation, despair, and hopelessness. But we have also probably had those mountaintop experiences when everything was just perfect. For me, this was our annual Campaigner Summer Camp when we would pack up a dozen or more eight-to-fifteen-year old’s into a minibus and drive off to join a hundred others for a week of adventure and fun.
The difference between those mountaintop and valley experiences is stark and the emotions produced are poles apart and yet both can have their place in our lives. The disciples were about to go from despair to elation in just a few short hours but the Bible doesn’t record much about their emotions.
However, time and again the Bible does assure us that whatever our circumstances may be we are never alone or without help. In Hebrews, God says, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.”. In Deuteronomy we are told, “Your God, the Lord himself, will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.” And in Matthew, Jesus says, “….I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”
The disciples didn`t know what we know or have the benefit of the Bible, history, and facts to reassure them, but we can now be certain that Jesus will always be with us to guide and comfort us through the most difficult of times and rest in God’s repeated instruction to have no fear.
Today, as I finalise these words, we can experience real joy and rejoice for we know that truly He has risen. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Jesus, we can hardly imagine how much you suffered on the cross for each one of us. Thank you for being prepared to die for our sins. Thank you that you rose again and we can know you in our daily lives and thank you that you offer us your resurrection power to live each day for you.
Neil Bromage, 31/03/2024